Sunday News
By Samkeliso Ndlovu
12 July 2009
Zimbabweans from all walks of life should take the period of the inclusive transitional government as an opportunity to rebrand the nation and restore it to its former glory, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Speaking at the official launch of the Inxusa cultural Expo in Bulawayo on Thursday last week, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said this was the best opportunity for the country to turn over a new leaf.
“The Deputy Prime Minister (Professor) Arthur Mutambara has spoken extensively about this in the last three months, about the need for us to rebrand Zimbabwe. Tragically Zimbabwe in the mind of the international community is often associated with all that is negative.
“And as we move through this inclusive transitional government, it is our opportunity to rebrand our great nation.
“I hope that through this roadshow we can commence this process of rebranding Zimbabwe and show not just Southern Africa but also the world what our nation is made of; that our nation is in fact a great nation. It is a rainbow nation, it has a rich colourful tapestry to present to the world and it is through our artists and cultural experts that this tapestry can be unfolded in such a positive way,” he said, adding that the country possessed a tremendous spirit which should not be branded negatively.
“Our goal is to commence to brand our nation positively and sports, arts, and culture are critical elements in rebranding our nation.”
Minister Coltart said arts and culture had an enormous ability to generate revenue not just for the artists but also for the nation.
He bemoaned the fact that local artists and people who have promoted culture have not been facilitated sufficiently to reach their own potential and in doing so to generate enormous amounts of money for the country and for themselves.
“I see my role as Minister as not to control arts and culture. I’m not an artist myself and the best art that I can generate is a “little stick man! If I sing you all run out of this room I can assure you!â€
“My role is not to define what arts and culture are and certainly not to control; my role and the government’s role is to facilitate and to allow artists to give full vent to their artistic ability and in doing so to reach the full potential of their talent and generate wealth for their country and themselves. We need, as a government, to view art as business and to allow that business to flourish” said Minister Coltart.
He commended the selection of Bulawayo to launch the cultural Expo saying it was well positioned to be the cultural capital of Southern Africa because it is uniquely positioned geographically and it has a unique diversity of ethnic and racial groups that gives it an advantage over other cities in Southern Africa.
“The role our city has to play is not just in the context of Zimbabwe but in the context of SADC as we integrate all the great nations of SADC, as the borders come down, and as we get a much greater and freer flow of people and therefore different ethnic groups and cultures through Bulawayo” said the Minister.
He praised Amakhosi Director Cont Mhlanga, describing him as one of the artistic and cultural icons, not just of Bulawayo but also of Zimbabwe .
“Through his courage, innovation, and his artistic ability he has pushed the industry in many ways the last couple of decades. As we know he is a great playwright who has written courageously about Zimbabwe as he has seen it and that makes me very proud to be in association with him” he said.
The Minister encouraged artists to take part in the constitution making process and to practice their freedom of expression.
“Let me say this, if the constitution is just left as a piece of paper, it is dead.”
“We have provisions in our existing constitution, which are wonderful provisions such as the right to freedom of expression and freedom of association. These provisions have been in our existing constitution for the last 29 years and yet we as Zimbabweans have not exploited them.â€
“It doesn’t matter how fine our Constitution is from the emergence of this constitutional reform process, if we don’t have artists and playwrights who will explore what freedom of expression means in the Zimbabwean context that constitution will remain a dead letter.”